How to prevent depression?

“How to prevent depression and see the beauty in life? One should be simple and contented in life.  Encourage yourself, reaffirm yourself. Use compassion, tolerance and loving kindness to manage your life. “

-       Master Jin Bodhi

“从生活中发现平淡与知足的乐趣，用慈悲，宽容，博爱的心态来看待生活，多一些自我鼓励，自我肯定，就能远离忧郁的困扰，看见生活的美好。”

-       金菩提禅师

Commentary by Jerome:

• Depression is a potentially serious psychiatric problem. Because of one’s mental habits of the past, one tend to think in an erroneous way that always result in suffering. People with depression always sees the negative aspect of an issue. For instance, when someone praises the patient, he will doubt that the person is truly praising him and may even think that it is an insult!
• Why is this so? This is because one is too narrow-minded and always thinking about himself. To solve the problem, one should use positive affirmations to boost one’s confidence and use a compassionate, tolerant mind to deal with life situations.

More information available at:

1) Master Jin Bodhi Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/jinbodhiworld/

2) Official Bodhi Meditation Website

http://puti.org

http://putihome.org

Author:

Jerome is a Buddhist practitioner that has learnt from Theravada, Mahayana and Tibetan traditions and is still learning! He first learnt meditation and Dharma from Theravadan monks and practitioners in the lineage of the Arahant Venerable Amatha Gavesi Maha Thero from Sri Lankaramaya Buddhist temple in Singapore. Then, he completed a Diploma in Buddhism from the Buddhist and Pali College in 2016. He also learnt from Zen Master Wu Jue Miao Tian (85th Zen Patriach) from the LingJi lineage in Taiwan in 2014 - 2015.  Subsequently, he learnt from Garchen Rinpoche from the Drigar Thubten Dargye Ling tradition (Tibetan) and attended annual Om Mani Padme Hum and Om Ami Dewa Hrih retreats from 2015 till date. Currently, he is a disciple of Master Jin Bodhi (Mahayana) from Bodhi Meditation in Singapore and is an active volunteer there. Master Jin Bodhi is his main Dharma teacher. Jerome feels that Buddhism is not a religion but is a practical way to reduce our life's problems. The essence of Buddhism is not in the books or sutras but in the way we apply it into our lives. Having understood some aspects of Buddha's teaching, he wants to give back to the society and hopes to share his insights with everyone who has the affinity with him.